Protective housing for aerobic reduction reactor

ABSTRACT

A metallic protective housing for a skid-mounted aerobic reduction reactor which includes a pitched roof supported by two side walls and an end wall, each wall being secured to the skid. The two side walls and roof having reinforced structural members secured to the skid and to the reactor to form a point of attachment for moving the reactor. A series of hinged doors in the side and end walls to provide selective access to the reactor. The interior surfaces of the walls and roof being covered by insulation to control temperatures within the housing.

[0001] This application is a continuation in part of application Ser. No. 09/588,779 filed Jun. 5, 2000 for Aerobic Reduction Reactor.

[0002] The present invention relates to a protective housing and more particularly to a housing for an aerobic reduction reactor which shields the moving parts and insulates and protects the reactor from the elements and from vandalism or theft.

BACKGROUND

[0003] In the construction of oxidation reduction devices for decomposition of organic wastes it is well known to provide an elongated cylindrical vessel which is mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis. Such vessels are typically mounted on rollers and rotated with a friction drive, such as a motor driving the rollers, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,204,959-Kreuzburg et al, or by a positive drive such as a ring gear secured to the exterior of the vessel and meshing with a motor-driven pinion gear, as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,178,267-Larson and 3,245,759-Eweson. Such drive mechanisms, as well as the vessel itself, are frequently left uncovered with little or no protection from the weather, vehicles or the idly curious. In an industrial situation this poses little problem except for deterioration of the equipment due to climatic conditions. However, in an agricultural setting where animals, pets and foot traffic are present, exposed drive mechanisms and the rotating vessel are safety hazards which may cause serious injury. In addition, automatic equipment, such as chain oilers, sensors, computers, etc., associated with a modem aerobic reactor have a very limited usefull life when not protected from the elements.

[0004] Since the oxidation reduction process occurs at elevated temperatures, typically 140 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit, the vessel is usually insulated to inhibit heat transfer from, or to, the interior of the vessel and maintain the temperature levels within the vessel which are necessary to complete decomposition of the waste materials. This is typically accomplished by spraying the exterior of the vessel with a thick coating of foamed plastic and then weatherproofing the coating with a layer of elastic vinyl resin. This process is both time consuming and expensive since the vessel must be rotated past the spray apparatus at a controlled rate to ensure that the necessary thickness of insulation is applied evenly over all of the various portions of the vessel being insulated. In the event of damage to the foamed plastic coating by workmen or vehicles, repair or replacement of a section of the coating requires that the reactor be removed from service and the repair work be done by hand.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The present invention provides a housing for a rotating drum of a skid-mounted aerobic reactor which simplifies installation and reduces the cost of insulation of the drum, shields the moving parts of the reactor from accidental contact, provides a controlled environment for sensitive accessories of the reactor, and protects the reactor and its accessories from the weather and from theft or vandalism while providing a readily accessible point of attachment for relocating the reactor.

[0006] The above objects of the invention are realized by provision of an insulated housing which encloses the rotating drum and all the associated drive and control equipment while providing easy access thereto for inspection or maintenance. The housing is supported on the skid by means of a framework which includes a sturdy post and beam structure located adjacent the center of gravity of the reactor

DRAWINGS

[0007] The best mode presently contemplated of carrying out the present invention will be understood from the detailed description of the preferred embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which.

[0008]FIG. 1 is a side view of the present housing as applied to the dual chamber aerobic reduction reactor of the parent application showing the access doors in closed position;

[0009]FIG. 2 is an end view of the housing of FIG. 2; and

[0010]FIG. 3 is a side view, partly in section, of the housing and reactor of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0011] Referring more particularly to the invention as depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing, the present invention comprises a housing 1 having side walls 2 & 3, an end wall 4 and a shallow gabled roof 5 made of approximately {fraction (1/16)} inch sheet steel. As shown in FIG. 3, the housing 1 is mounted on a skid 6 made of I-beams and which supports the drum 7 and blending chamber 8 of the dual chamber reactor 9. A supporting framework for side wall 2 includes a vertical post 11 made of 4″×4″ square hollow steel tubing which is located at the approximate mid point of the side wall 2 and is welded to the skid 6. A horizontally-extending 4″×4″ square hollow beam 12 is secured between the upper extremity of the vertical post 11 and the surface 13 of the blending chamber 8 to form a bearing plate to which approximately one-half of the rafters 14 are secured. A smaller 2″×2″ square hollow beam 15 extends between the vertical post 11 and a 2″×2″ square hollow corner post 16 to form a bearing plate for the remaining rafters. A 2″×2″ square hollow post 17 is spaced from post 11 and extends between the beam 15 and the skid 6. A pair of double doors 18 & 19 are hinged to the post 11 and surface 13 of the blending chamber, respectively. The proximate edges of the doors 18 & 19 overlap and a commercial locking mechanism (not shown) operated by handle 21 locks both doors to the beam 12 and the skid 6. The space between post 11 and post 17 is covered by a panel 22 of sheet steel which has a transparent plastic window 23 behind which is mounted a monitor of a Programmable Logic Controller or computer which controls the operation of the reactor 9. A second pair of double doors 24 & 25 are hinged to the post 17 and the corner post 16, respectively, and are locked to the beam 15 and the skid 6 by a locking mechanism (not shown) operated by handle 26. Side wall 3 is similar to side wall 2 with a supporting frame which includes a 4″×4″ square hollow vertical post, a 4″×4″ square hollow horizontal beam, a 2″×2″ square hollow beam, a 2″×2″ square hollow corner post and two pairs of equal-sized double doors. One pair of double doors is hinged to the vertical post and surface 13 of the blending chamber, while the other pair of double doors is hinged to the vertical post and the corner post. The horizontal beams of the two supporting frames are connected at their ends and at intervals over their length by square hollow attic joists.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 2, the end wall 4 is made up of a pair of double doors 27 & 28 which are hinged to the corner posts and, at their proximate edges, surround the discharge opening 29 of the drum 7. Similar to the double doors in both side walls, the doors 27 & 28 overlap at their proximate edges and are locked to the skid and the attic joist (not shown) of the gable by a locking mechanism operated by handle 31.

[0013] The rafters 14 are formed of 2″×2″ square hollow tubing and are spaced at intervals along the beams 12 & 15 and are welded to the respective beams of each side wall and to a 2″×2″ square hollow ridge pole 32 which extends along the ridge of the roof. A series of roofing panels 33 of sheet steel are attached to the rafters 14 and form the roof of the housing. A pair of lifting plates 34 & 35 are welded, or otherwise secured, to the ridge pole for attachment to a crane or other lifting device in order to move the reactor and housing. The inner surfaces of all of the doors and the inner surfaces of the roofing panels between the rafters are covered by batts of insulation and the edges of the doors are provided with seals to inhibit transfer of heat from or into the interior of the housing.

[0014] The present housing provides an alternative to the expensive and time-consuming process of spraying insulation onto the exterior surfaces of the rotating drum by permitting the use of batts of insulation of the desired thickness to be attached to the inner surfaces of the roofing panels and the side and end walls as well as to the exterior surfaces of the drum itself The batts of insulation are easily and quickly installed and, in case of damage, they can be easily replaced while the reactor is operating. The insulated walls and roof of the housing provide a stable, dry atmosphere surrounding the drum and its accessories which allows the necessary temperatures to be maintained Within the drum over a wide range of ambient climatic conditions. In addition, devices such as chain oilers, sensor lenses, computers, etc. are kept free from dust and dirt, thus reducing the maintenance requirements and extending the effective life of such devices. The handles on the double doors can be keyed to prevent unauthorized entry, thus protecting the accessory devices from theft or vandalism and preventing accidental contact of humans or animals with moving parts of the reactor. The 4″×4″ vertical posts in the side walls, together with the attic joists, 4″×4″ horizontal beams and rafters provide a sturdy structure for lifting the combined weight of the skid-mounted reactor and the housing.

[0015] While the invention has been described with reference to specifically illustrated embodiments, it should be understood that various changes may be made without departing from the inventive subject matter particularly pointed out and claimed here below. 

We claim:
 1. A housing for enclosing the rotatable drum of a skid-mounted aerobic reactor, said housing including two side walls and an end wall secured to the skid and a gabled roof secured to said walls; said walls and roof being lined with batts of insulation to inhibit transfer of heat to or from the interior of said housing, each of said walls having at least one pair of insulated double doors to provide access to the drum within the housing; and the exterior surfaces of said drum being covered with batts of insulation to inhibit heat transfer from the interior of the drum to the atmosphere within said housing.
 2. A housing as defined in claim 1 in which one of the side walls includes a transparent window through which measurements of the operation of the reactor can be monitored.
 3. A housing as defined in claim 2 in which each of the side walls has two pairs of insulated double doors
 4. A protective housing for a skid-mounted dual chamber aerobic reactor which includes a blending chamber and a rotatable drum, said housing including a pair of side walls connected to the blending chamber and to the skid; an end wall connected to both side walls; and a gabled roof connected to the blending chamber and each of said walls; the inner surfaces of the roof and each of the walls being lined with batts of insulation, and the exterior surfaces of the rotatable drum being covered with batts of insulation
 5. A protective housing as defined in claim 4 in which each of said walls includes at least one pair of double doors for access to all parts of the drum.
 6. A protective housing as defined in claim 5 in which each of the two side walls includes two pairs of double doors. 